Chapter Five

Amber watched as Elena rubbed Sofia's back in small circles in the hopes of calming down the anxious princess.

She hadn't felt like leaving Enchancia either but with Tilly up to her knees in paperwork, it was her duty as crown princess to make relations with a kingdom Roland had discussed briefly before his tragic death.

If that wasn't bad enough, Sofia hadn't been feeling well but with no fever and after objecting to being left alone, Amber had no choice but to bring her along.

Sofia no longer looked anxious, her head laying on Elena's lap as she gazed into Amber's concerned eyes

"I'll get you or Elena at any point while we're in Eriksdale if I'm not feeling well," Sofia promised. "I just don't understand why King Dominick couldn't come to Enchancia or his son Prince Sebastian instead of us having to come to him."

"I know but he's sympathetic to our circumstances so it's the least we can do by visiting him," Amber smiled.

"Don't worry Amber, Dominick's a good man and his son's a gentleman. It's his daughter Ramona you'll have to watch out for," Elena cautioned "She's more outspoken than you or your sister and will say the first thing that comes out of her mouth but because of her age, she doesn't know better so try not to get upset with her."

Amber noddedly, keeping an eye on Sofia who yawned before looking down at the fading Enchancia castle below.

Don't worry Daddy, Mother, and James. We'll be fine. I pray we will be

…

"Princess Elena! It's a pressure to see you again!"

"The pleasure is mine, King Dominick," Elena curtised, shaking the plump king's hand. "May I introduce Princess Amber of Enchancia and her sister Sofia? Their parents were supposed to make relations with Eriksdale but considering what happened recently…"

"I know," King Dominick nodded somberly before kneeling down towards the two girls. "Princess Amber, Princess Sofia, I'm terribly sorry for your loss. You have my deepest sympathies."

"Thank you King Dominick. My sister Sofia hasn't been feeling well and hasn't had much of an appetite today so can you have your kitchen staff make her something she can easily digest while you and I discuss relations?" Amber requested.

"Of course Princess Amber. I'll have a guest room set up for her as well so she can rest."

"Thank you Your Majesty."

"King Dominick, I don't see Prince Sebastian or Princess Ramona with you. Are they all right?" Elena asked.

"Sebastian's finishing up his lessons as we speak and Ramona's playing with a friend of hers," Dominick replied. "Now that Princess Amber's here—"

"Daddy! Aurelia wants my dolly!"

A shrill voice reached their ears as two five year old little girls raced into the throne room with Princess Ramona's blonde curls bouncing as she sprinted.

"Ramona, You know better than to interrupt me whe I'm working!" Dominick scolded.

"Sorry Daddy," Ramona apologized. She'd forgotten about her doll for a moment as she gazed at Amber and Sofia. "You're not King Roland or Queen Miranda."

"That's because we're their daughters," Sofia explained, holding back tears. "They're no longer with us so Amber's crown princess now."

"So they're in heaven like Princess Elena's mommy and daddy and took Prince James with them?"

Elena saw how uncomfortable the Enchancia princesses were on the subject of their family as she knelt down towards the five year old. "Yes but Sofia and Amber don't like to talk about it."

Ramona looked down at her feet, brushing them against the carpet. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay Buttercup, you didn't know," Dominick assured, kissing her cheek. "You share your dolly with Aurelia like a proper princess and since Princess Sofia isn't feeling well, you two can make her a card but no disturbing her while she rests."

"Okay!" Ramona giggled as she and a timid Aurelia sprinted back to the royal playroom.

"Mom and Dad would've handled that the same way if one of us argued," Sofia recalled, holding her hands to her head as if attempting to surpass a headache. "Only different."

"Come on. Let's get you to bed Sofia," Elena suggested, taking her in her arms. She turned to Amber and smiled warmly. "Good luck."

"I don't need it but thank you Elena," Amber smiled.

…

"You'll have to excuse me if I'm nervous during ourdiscussion. Mother and Daddy taught me very few things about kingdom relations before their passing," Amber muttered.

She felt intimidated by her current circumstances, wondering how Roland had managed to do something like this year after year during his reign or how Miranda pulled through during her first weeks as queen as Amber forced a smile.

Dominick noticed her forced expression and sighed, patting her hand sympathetically. "It's barely been two weeks since your parents and brother's passing, Princess Amber. Whatever you don't know, Elena, myself, and my wife Cecilia can help you with."

"Thank you, Your Majesty but Elena didn't mention Queen Cecilia on the way over here."

"That's because she's expecting," Elena explained, smiling warmly. "The last time I was here, she and King Dominick just found out they were having another little girl."

"Seanna Alexandra Miranda of Eriksdale," Dominick smiled. "If you'll allow my wife and I to use your late mother's name, Princess Amber. If not, we'll use something else."

"Mother would've been honored to have her name as Seanna's middle name but I'll have to discuss it with Sofia once she's recovered. I don't consult personal matters without her input," Amber frowned.

Consult made her sound twenty one, not nearly twelve in a few months but being the proper princess she was, she'd had to be the strong one in her remaining family.

The meeting was leaving her exhausted so Amber was thankful for the doors of Dominick's study to burst open the moment she could barely keep her eyes open.

"Pardon me for interrupting your majesties but Princess Amber, you're needed in one of the royal guest bedchambers," Eriksdale's castle steward explained.

"Why? Is something wrong?" Amber asked.

"Your sister woke up, saw Prince Sebastian's presence, and keeps calling him your brother's name, apologizing for what she did."

"I see. Can you please take me to her?"

The castle steward nodded while Elena gave Amber's shoulder a small, gentle squeeze.

"Go on. I'll speak on your behalf," She promised.

"Thank you," Amber whispered.

Hugging the Avaloran princess, she allowed herself to be lead to Sofia's guest bedchamber where a bewildered Sebastian stood, unable to know how to deal with the situation he'd found himself in.

"Sofia, it's me Amber. Do you know where you are?" Amber asked.

With bloodshot eyes, Sofia nodded softly. "In Eriksdale."

"That's right and I know you're not feeling well but Prince Sebastian isn't James. You're hallucinating."

"No. Th—That's J-James. That is him!"

Amber felt her sister fling to her as Sofia sobbed while she stroked her hair.

"I tried to calm her down myself but I couldn't. I'm sorry," Sebastian apologized.

Amber shook her head, giving him a sympathetic smile. "Don't be. You should've seen her at night waking herself up screaming from a nightmare involving our brother the first couple of nights. Only calming potions made by our family's royal sorcerer would calm her down."

"Do you believe your sister has survivor's guilt because of what you two went through?"

"I do. She witnessed something so horrible while I got away. Sometimes I wish I was in her place whenever she gets upset over our brother."

"You don't want to," Sofia sniffled as she blinked back her remaining tears. "Why would you want to?"

"Because I'm tired of seeing you suffering for something that wasn't your fault,"Amber mummered.

"It was my fault! I tripped, alerting the intruder and leading James to get killed! Amber, why are you still loving me when I'm nothing more than a murderer!? I DON'T DESERVE IT!"

Amber and Sebastian watched as Sofia collapsed on the bed, her frail body shaking from the outburst she had until they heard her soft snores as the door to her bedchamber opened.

In the doorway stood Queen Cecilia, her right hand on her swollen stomach as Ramona clung to her leg.

"Ramona heard Princess Sofia crying and came to get me. Is everything okay?" She asked.

"She thought I was Prince James Mom. I tried to calm her down but I had Thomas go get Princess Amber. Things lead to another and now you're here," Sebastian explained, his gaze towards a resting Sofia.

"Apologies if we disturbed you Queen Cecilia. Sofia and I weren't supposed to be here in the first place. Our parents were," Amber croaked.

Cecilia said nothing as she walked inside the room and stroked Amber's hair while the older Enchancia princess was close to tears, the strong, confident demeanor she had hours before slowly breaking.

…

The king and queen of Eriksdale were sympathetic to their situation to which Amber was grateful as Sofia sniffed, her eyes glassy being a side effect of her illness.

"Roland and Miranda would've been proud of you today," Elena muttered, getting out a spare blanket for the two girls from the back of the carriage.

Amber shook her head. "I failed them. I allowed Sofia to come, which I shouldn't have done because she was sick and you saw how I nearly dozed off in King Dominick's study during our relations meeting." She sighed, accepting the blanket as she placed it on herself and Sofia. "I'm not ready to rule like I thought I was."

Elena smiled softly, sitting across from the sisters as she took Amber's hand in hers. "I thought I was ready when I first started out as crown princess but these things take time. You're lucky you have someone who's had experience with your situation."

"I am. I'm blessed to have you but you won't be here forever and that scares me."

"I know but you'll have someone to help you with the responsibility of being crown princess after I leave."

Amber blinked, becoming baffled by those words. "And who would that be exactly?"

"I think you know her already," Elena smiled. She chuckled, hearing a yawn escape from the young crown princess' lips. "And on that note, it's been a long day for all of us. At this rate, we'll both be asleep like Sofia on the way home from Eriksdale."

Amber chuckled in agreement, her gaze seeing Amberina Major twinkling in the night sky as if the star was Roland telling her he was proud of her despite the day's events.

Thank you Daddy.

Wiping away a stray tear from her eye, she drifted off to sleep as her hand clutched Sofia's, not wanting to long go of it for as long as she lived.